The Adivasi will not Dance: Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
Published: 2015, Speaking Tiger Publications
The purposefully provocative title “The Adivasi will not Dance“, is akin to a window with partly broken glass, in a huge, ancient and withering yet magnificent mansion. It is indeed a fair warning and yet an irresistible invite to closely explore this mansion which metaphorically represents the lives of the Santhal community (Adivasis). Every brick, stone, wall, the dilapidated furniture, the peeling paint and hazy black & white pictures on the walls of this proverbial mansion, holds within, the complex nuances, circumstances and stories of Adivasi life. I, opened this proverbial window and here’s what I witnessed.
The stories, 10 of them!
Nominated for the Hindu literary prize in 2016 and banned by the government of Jharkhand in 2017! Each story craftily touches a varied aspect of Adivasi life; eating habits, demeanor, poverty and struggles, desperate lack of access to education and other facilities, a quagmire of unfathomable superstitions and a history of exploitation by people and institutions with vested interests.
A santhal woman forced into a situation where she must sell her body for Rs. 50, a child losing his life due to unattended fever, syndicated human trafficking as a norm, sexual exploitations, witch hunting of vulnerable women and the childlike naivety of the grown-ups! Like the title, each story makes its presence felt, like the uninhabited yet imposing rooms in a mansion! Tiled with complex undertones, painted in provocative patterns but with light colors of subtlety, and cemented with the power of simplicity, the intensity in every story knocks you off but the quality of writing and detailed imagery handholds enough to let you find ground under your feet. In one of the stories, the excruciatingly detailed portrayal of a delivery scene undoubtedly establishes the author’s writing finesse and astute observation prowess.
Should you read ‘The Adivasi will not dance’?
This 180-page book is most likely a companion for a weekend or two for an avid reader. It’s easy on the eyes, flows coherently and aids speedy reading.
For the uninitiated (like yours truly), it’s a good introduction to the Adivasi culture, rituals and ways of life. It’s a book that promises to inform; however, it comes bundled with provocation, darkness and emotional upheaval. It will probably make you bolder but it will first extract its price by making you feel vulnerable. Stories titled ‘Blue baby’ and ‘Eating with the enemy’ are bound to leave you agitated, helpless, judgmental and churned, for a long time.
If I could go back in time to make a choice of whether to open the window to this mansion or not, I’ll most likely open that window again, consciously yet carefully, and ask others to follow, with a fair warning.
How you see the world is a reflection of who you are, and books aren’t immune to that principle! I am curious to know, which side are you on? Happy Reading!
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